Table 3 Post-operative and clinical outcomes according to pre-sarcopenia status

Postoperative hospital days (median [IQR])

13.0 [10.0–17.0]

14.0 [10.8–17.0]

0.450

Stent, yes (%)

80 (55.6)

37 (51.4)

0.562

Stoma, yes (%)

25 (17.4)

16 (22.2)

0.390

Emergency operation, yes (%)

9 (6.3)

6 (8.3)

0.570

Transfusion, yes (%)

66 (45.8)

41 (56.9)

0.124

Complications (%)

0.906

 No

119 (82.6)

58 (80.6)

 Minor^a

17 (11.8)

9 (12.5)

 Major^b

8 (5.6)

5 (6.9)

Anastomosis leak (%)

7 (4.9)

4 (5.6)

0.827

Postoperative ileus (%)

8 (5.6)

3 (4.2)

0.662

Surgical site infection (%)

6 (4.2)

2 (2.8)

0.610

Anastomosis site bleeding (%)

2 (1.4)

0 (0.0)

0.315

Urinary retention (%)

2 (1.4)

2 (2.8)

0.475

Atelectasis (%)

4 (2.8)

3 (4.2)

0.587

Pleural effusion

1 (0.7)

1 (1.4)

0.615

Asthma attack

1 (0.7)

0(0.0)

0.478

Recurrence, yes (%)

30 (20.8)

23 (31.9)

0.074

Death, yes (%)

20 (13.9)

21 (29.2)

0.007

Disease-free survival time (months) (median [IQR])

42.0 [24.0–133.0]

29.5 [11.8–109.0]

0.007

Overall-survival time (months) (median [IQR])

58.0 [26.0–81.0]

38.0 [21.8–60.3]

0.047